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Temple of Achepeletes on Kos
Asklepios

InformationKos Town Pictures
     About 15 minutes by bicycle ride from Kos Town the visitor comes across the ruins of Achepeletes' sanctuary on Kos. This was one of two important sanctuaries for Achepeletes, son of Apollo, god of healing, the other being Epidauros. Like Epidauros, this was a place of worship as well as healing. My book is a little vague on details but like Epidauros, pilgrims would come to be cleansed and healed by the priests of Achepeletes by various herbal and physical means.

     The site was occupied from the Doric period to the Roman period, when like other pagan temples, the Christian Emperor Constantine forbid their existence. The sanctuary is divided by four terraces, with the top being the oldest. There you find a Doric temple to Achepeletes surrounded by relatively young pine trees. Through the trees there is an excellent view of the coastline and Turkey. The next level down has an Ionic temple to Apelles, son of Aphrodite Anadyomene. It is believed that this temple also served as the treasury, where offerings were kept. Across from it is a Roman temple, which most likely served a similar purpose. The bottom two levels contain stoas, most likely where pilgrims and healers lived. The temple attracts tourists, but compared to Kos town, there were not very many at this site.

     During the Christian period, the site was revised, with the Doric temple being transformed into a church, however the site was buried during the Ottoman period and not recovered until the 19th century.

    I hope you enjoy the photos. Any comments, please E-mail me, .

Click on the title or thumbnail to view the larger picture.


Lower Stoa

temple to Apelles

Roman Temple

Lower Terraces

Doric Temple

Roman Temple

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All photos by John L. Polos
Copyright September 16, 2001